Ronald de Boer believes that one Liverpool-linked midfielder would be ready for a move to Anfield if it were to materialise.
Ibrahim Sangare has been touted with a potential switch to Jurgen Klopp’s side this month, and the Dutch football legend has every confidence that the PSV Eindhoven powerhouse would be a success for the Reds.
Speaking about the 25-year-old, the former Barcelona defender told VoetbalNieuws: “I think he’s a great player. I think he cannot be kept for PSV. He will still go to a real top team such as Liverpool. Bayern or Paris Saint-Germain? In my opinion he can handle that.
“I always say: if he gets the Makélélé role, take the ball away and pass it on to someone who can play football well, then he is a golden player for your team. He is in between everything and can rush things. You need those kinds of players in your team.”
The 6 foot 3 Ivorian would certainly add an imposing and industrious presence to Liverpool’s midfield, as illustrated by statistics from FBref.
He ranks among the top 14% of positional peers in Europe over the past 12 months for clearances made and aerial duels won per 90 minutes. He’s no slouch with the ball at his feet either, featuring among the top 12% of midfielders for progressive passes and successful take-ons per game.
The 25-year-old is a master at breaking up play, having recorded a frightening match average of 3.7 tackles in the Europa League last season, the fourth-most of any player in the entire tournament (WhoScored).
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Liverpool’s pre-existing relationship with PSV – from whom they signed Cody Gakpo eight months ago – could potentially give them an edge in the race for Sangare.
However, if the Dutch side were to defeat Rangers tonight and qualify for the Champions League, that could make him prefer to stay in Eindhoven over moving to the Reds, who of course missed out on Europe’s premier club competition this term.
We agree with De Boer that the Ivory Coast international seems ready to come in and make an immediate impact if he were to rock up at Anfield – the burning question is how much of a chance would Klopp have of securing a transfer before Friday night’s deadline.